Clark County has had a taste of sunshine here and there over the past few weeks, but there have still been more cold and rainy days in the forecast than warm and sunny ones. Punxsutawney Phil tells us we don’t have much longer to wait until the season changes, but until then, many of us may be feeling a little cooped up.
If you can relate, you’re in luck; there are plenty of indoor activities to enjoy in Clark County that are accessible by transit. Whether you’re looking for your next date night activity or a place for your little ones to burn off excess energy, we’ve got you covered.
Movies
For a big box theater experience with a small-town feel, visit Battle Ground Cinema. This theater shows first-run films and offers reclining seats, concessions, and quality projection and audio.
Movies aren’t the only reason to visit Kiggins Theater, an icon on Vancouver’s Main Street since 1936––you can also stop by for live events like Comedy on Tap, History on Tap, and Science on Tap. For mature movie-goers seeking an interactive experience, Kiggins is home to regular screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show featuring the Denton Delinquents.
Originally named the Granada Theater, the Liberty Theater opened in downtown Camas way back in 1927. Nowadays, it shows everything from current films to classics to National Theatre Live screenings from the National Theatre in London.
Shopping and crafts
Kindred Homestead Supply has been a welcome addition to Vancouver’s shopping scene, offering a wide range of products focusing on sustainability and low-waste. They’re not just a store; they also function as a community space, hosting events such as monthly flea markets, craft & mend sessions, item swaps, DIY classes, and more!
While you’re at Kindred Homestead Supply, head down to the basement to visit Ronald Records. They have a great collection of new and used vinyl and other increasingly hard-to-find physical media like CDs, DVDs, and cassette tapes. The space also hosts live music events weekly to enjoy while you’re there searching for gems to add to your music collection.
This family-friendly pottery studio offers a variety of classes for everyone, including toddler “clay” dates, family clay, date night classes, and multi-week courses. You can even book pottery painting parties for larger groups and special occasions.
Activities
If you enjoy activities that get your blood pumping, check out The Source Climbing Center. New to climbing? No worries; they offer an orientation to all first-time visitors to make sure that folks feel safe and supported.
Kids Club is a safe bet if you’re looking for something to entertain your little ones. In addition to an indoor jungle that features six slides, a suspension bridge, roller tubes, and a giant ball pit, they offer swimming, gymnastics, and dance lessons.
Axe-throwing is certainly having its moment, and now Vancouver is home to its very own axe-throwing bar and restaurant. While axe-throwing may sound intimidating, people ages ten and up can join the fun. Safety is also top of mind here; all staff are trained by certified professionals.
An escape room is a fun option for groups interested in a mentally stimulating activity. The family-owned NW Escape Experience is home to four uniquely themed rooms. Each room is also rated from G to R, allowing families to choose a room best suited to their group.
History
Slow down and take a step back in time at the Clark County Historical Museum. Housed in Vancouver’s old Carnegie Library, the museum offers visitors a chance to explore artifacts dating as far back as the mid-1200s to the present. Current exhibits include Homegrown Historians, (Her)Story, and History A-Brewin’. Sidenote: If you missed it, check out the exhibit we partnered with the museum on a few years ago to celebrate our 40th anniversary.
Aviation aficionado or not, Pearson Air Museum is a unique spot to stop by for a dose of Clark County history. Pearson Field is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating airfields and houses four aircraft from Fort Vancouver National Historic Site’s museum collection. While you’re there checking out the planes, take a stroll through the museum’s exhibit panels that detail local aviation events.
Sports
The Vancouver Volcanoes is a professional basketball team that competes in The Basketball League (TBL). Their season kicks off on March 1 in Eugene, with their first home game on March 8. You can cheer them on at Clark College’s O’Connell Sports Center. Better yet, take C-TRAN to the game for discounted tickets. Go Volcanoes!
The Vine is a valuable resource to our passengers, but a recent research paper shows that its value reaches even farther than getting riders from point A to point B. "The effect of bus rapid transit on local home prices" by economic researchers Justin Beaudoin and Justin Tyndall examines the impact of bus rapid transit (BRT) on the housing market. Beaudoin belongs to the Department of Economics at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, while Tyndall is part of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization and Department of Economics in Honolulu. Together, they examine the impact of BRT as an amenity to properties near bus rapid transit lines.
The two picked Vancouver's original BRT as their main case study. The result: The Vine produced a positive, measurable economic impact on the surrounding corridor. BRT lines in other cities have also seen similar positive effects.
When C-TRAN opened The Vine on Fourth Plain seven years ago, we were the first agency in the region to introduce BRT to our system. This decision paid dividends service-wise thanks to the advantages that BRT offers over regular fixed-route service. Firstly, our BRT lines provide more frequent service, running as often as every 10 minutes during peak service times. Sixty-foot articulated buses run on these lines, meaning we can transport more passengers per trip. In addition, BRT service offers faster travel times, improved stations, traffic signal priority, and level boarding platforms.
After The Vine on Fourth Plain launched in 2017, ridership along the corridor skyrocketed by 45% within the first year, simultaneously lowering travel times and operating costs. Since then, over 2,000 housing units have been added within a half-mile of Fourth Plain, totaling roughly $250 million in development value. Following the success of our first BRT line, C-TRAN opened The Vine on Mill Plain in October and is in the process of planning the third and fourth BRT lines, The Vine on Highway 99 and The Vine on Fourth Plain Extension, both of which are expected to open in 2027.
Beaudoin and Tyndall's research looks at more than just the value of BRT's more efficient service; instead, it draws a correlation between proximity to BRT lines and property values. The study only includes sales of single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums over $50,000 in value; commercial and rental properties were not included in the study due to a lack of data access. In total, 70,000 properties were analyzed. The study concluded that BRT proximity positively affects local property values, resulting in a 5-7% price premium for local access to a BRT station. Other cities studied, including Brisbane, Quebec City, and Bogota, saw even larger price premiums.
Overall, the study showed that BRT impacted residential property value substantially, estimating it to exceed the construction costs of implementing the new service six times over. Beaudoin and Tyndall also suggest that real estate developers may see the investment in infrastructure like BRT as a sign to increase development near stations in anticipation of increased housing demand. In other words, access to transit creates added value, and added opportunity.
As Clark County continues to grow and change, C-TRAN will grow with it. Quality transit benefits the entire community, not just the people on the bus.